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Happy air®, a successful school-based asthma educational and interventional program for primary school children
Loredana Chini1, Roberta Iannini, Marco Chianca
1Allergologia ed Immunologia Pediatrica, Policlinico Tor Vergata, Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy. chini@med.uniroma2.it
Summary
A school-based asthma program involving parents and pediatricians significantly improved children's asthma management and quality of life. The Happy Air® program demonstrated success in enhancing clinical scores and overall well-being for pediatric asthma patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Public Health Interventions
- Childhood Asthma Management
Background:
- Asthma management in children requires a multidisciplinary approach.
- Effective partnerships between schools, parents, and healthcare providers are crucial.
- Improving quality of life for children with asthma is a key healthcare objective.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of a school-based, collaborative asthma management program on children's health.
- To assess the effectiveness of the Happy Air® program in improving asthma control and quality of life.
- To investigate the role of school-family-pediatrician partnerships in pediatric asthma care.
Main Methods:
- A 3-year comprehensive asthma program (Happy Air®) implemented in six primary schools.
- Educational interventions for families, school staff, and students.
- Utilized PedsQL™ 4.0 (Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory) to measure quality of life changes.
Main Results:
- Asthma diagnosed in 135 children, with 37 (27%) new diagnoses.
- Significant improvements observed in clinical asthma scores (p < .001).
- Marked increase in Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL™ 4.0) scores (p < .001).
Conclusions:
- The Happy Air® program serves as an effective model for school-based asthma interventions.
- This multi-action strategy successfully addresses diagnosis, follow-up, education, and self-management.
- The program aims to reduce the socioeconomic burden associated with childhood asthma.
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